McMinnville resident and Warren County native Virginia Carol Turner, 73, died Dec. 11 at Centennial Medical Center in Nashville.A bus aide with Warren County School System and a member of the Church of Christ, she was the daughter of the late William Haskel and Vera Gann Turner.She is survived by sister and brother-in-law, Elizabeth and…

McMinnville resident and Cannon County native Carrie Elizabeth Macon, 61, died Dec. 11 at River Park Hospital after an extended illness.A dietary department employee of NHC Healthcare, she was the daughter of John Henry and Ruth Mount Wade; and was preceded in death by brother, Cecil Lee Hayes; and sister, Ruby Pleasant.She is survived by…

McMinnville resident and Plattsburg, N.Y., native Alex Ralph McLear, 20, died unexpectedly Dec. 10 at Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.He is survived by daughter, Elizabeth McLear of McMinnville; mother and stepfather, Hazel and Victor of McMinnville; father and stepmother, Edward and Linda McLear of McMinnville; sister, Jennifer Baker…

NEW YORK Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. ? CBS maintained its winning ways for a 12th week, eclipsing its rivals and building on its unbroken record this season. The network claimed six of the top 10 shows last week, with “CSI: Crime…

WASHINGTON Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. ? Terrorism, torture and modest tax cuts to help rebuild the Gulf Coast dot the agenda for the Republican-controlled Congress at the end of a year scarred by scandal. GOP leaders are working to salvage as…

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. ? The Cleveland Clinic will lead a huge international study to learn whether painkillers taken by millions of Americans for arthritis are safe for those at risk of heart problems. With an unusual mix of industry, academic…

WASHINGTON Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. ? More children than ever are getting free or reduced-price breakfasts at school, an anti-hunger group said Tuesday. Still, the School Breakfast Program only reaches two in five youngsters who need it, according to a report…

LOS ANGELES Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. ? Pamela Anderson and pole dancing proved too hot for NBC, which dropped a number featuring the actress in a sexy big-screen video from an Elton John special. “Elton John: The Red Piano,” a Las…

NEW YORK Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. ? One is a three-hour, $200 million-plus combination of digital effects, yearlong hype and the largest of monkeys. The other is a frantic $30,000 production depicting an actress desperate for cardboard-thin parts in the B-est…

WASHINGTON Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. ? Voting systems would be more secure and voter access improved for those with disabilities under voluntary guidelines approved Tuesday by the Election Assistance Commission. The guidelines are a result of federal legislation passed two years…